Trolley system and device



L. BIIRCH TROLLEY SYSTEM AND DEVICE Filed April 25, 1955 Inventor LELANDW Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TROLLEY SYSTEM ANDDEVICE Application April 23, 1935, Serial No. 17,814

16 Claims.

My invention relates to an overhead trolley wire system and to asupporting device used in connection therewith;

One object of my invention is to provide a device and system permittingthe free longitudinal movement of the supported wires relative to thesupporting hangers.

Another object is to provide a system and hangers therefor in whichslack may be cut out of the supported wires without the necessity ofdetaching the same from the supporting hangers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system and supportinghangers in which the trolley wire is supported from an auxiliary wireand the two said wires are prevented from swaying or twisting in alateral or side direction.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination andrelation of the parts shown in the accompanying drawing and fullydescribed in the specification.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement of various parts composing one form of myimproved system in which a trolley wire is supported from an auxiliaryconductor.

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the system shown in Fig. 1 and setsforth moreclearly a suspension hanger and the trolley wire as suspended from theauxiliary conductor.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 of a modifiedconstruction.

In the ordinary suspension of trolley conduct-ors, either directly froma hanger or from a catenary cable, it is usual for the supportingdevices to securely grip the trolley wire or cable. This generallynecessitates considerable work in I, loosening up the clamps on theconductors if it is desired to readjust the conductors with respect tothe hangers or to cut out slack which may develop in the system.

I have devised a system and hangers therefor whereby the requirement ofloosening the clamps or hangers with respect to the conductors iseliminated. Also, any normal longitudinal movement of the conductor withrespect to the hangers may take place without stressing theparts.

501 My invention is particularly adapted where the trolley wire crossesaviaduct, especially a long viaduct, and is supported from overheadtimbers as in this case not only does the trolley wire tend to shortenand lengthen for various reasons but also the structure which causes amovement of the hangers longitudinally and relative to the trolley wire.

My invention may be used with round or grooved conductors, both shapesof wire being common, but different results may be secured 5 with each.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as shown in Fig. 1, thegrooved trolley wire I is shown supported from an auxiliary wire orconductor 2, which is shown as of round section. 10 These two wires aresupported from the overhead structure 3 which may be supported by abridge structure or by poles. The structure 3 is shown as constructed ofwood and. disposed longitudinally above and parallel to the conductors15 l and 2.

The conductors l and 2 are supported from the structure 3 by the hanger4.

The hanger 4 is shown as comprising a metal body member 5: with theprojecting arms 6 by 20 means of which the hanger may be secured to thestructure 3 by means of bolts 1. Projecting from the member 5 is asupporting stud 8 which is secured to the member 5 by means of a solidinsulating medium 9 which is usually of molded composition. 'Ihreadablysecured to the stud 8 is a supporting clamp Ill comprising a member I Iand a member l2 secured together by means of the bolt and nut I3.

' The members II and 12 have cooperating 30 grooves to receive the:conductor 2 and the S111)- porting rod 14. The grooves in the members Hand [2 are so arranged that the clamp lil will engage and securely gripthe rod Ii but will loosely support theconductor 2 permitting theconductor 35 to move longitudinally relative to the clamp I0.

To more clearly show on the drawing those joints between the clamps andother parts which are tight and those which are loose, I have used thecharacters T and. L respectively.

The jaws on the members II and [2 are so ar ranged that they encirclethe conductor 2 more than halfway thus offering a more secure supportfor theconductor 2 than if each encircled the conductor only halfway.

Mounted on the rod M are two clamps 15 each comprisingclamping membersI6 and IT held in clamping relation by means of the bolt and nut' l8,and each provided with cooperating grooves to receive theconductor 2 andthe rod l4. The lips are arranged to overlap the members 2 and [4 morethan halfway for reasons already explained.

The grooves formed by the members 16 and H are so related to the members2 and. I4 that the member 2 is engaged and gripped tightly by the clampI5 but the member I4 is loosely held permitting the parts I4 and I5 tomove relative to each other in longitudinal direction.

From the above description of the hanger 4, it will be noted that theclamps [5 are loosely mounted on the rod I4 which is tightly gripped bythe clamp I0. When the hanger 4 is secured to the conductor 2 the clampsI5 are arranged to grip the conductor 2 tightly, while the clamp II)supports the conductor 2 loosely. This permits the conductor 2 togetherwith the clamps I 5 to move relative to the structure 3 in alongitudinal direction.

The trolley wire I is supported from the wire 2 by means of clamps I9which are spaced along the length of the wires I and 2. The clamps I9comprise the members 20 and 2I clamped together by means of the screw orbolt 22 and are provided with grooves to receive and grip' tightly theconductors I and 2.

At such point as the conductor 2 may end it is anchored to the overheadstructure through the medium of an insulator 23 through which is loopedback upon itselfv the end 24 of the conductor 2 and held by means of aclamp 25. The eye bolt 26 is secured to the structure 3, and also to theinsulator 23 by means of a loop 21 provided with a terminal 23 and a pin29. The strut member 3!! holds the end of the conductor in properalignment with the overhead support 3.

I have shown the members 2 and I4 in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive as of roundcross section but these members may also be of grooved cross section asthe member I, in which case the jaws of the clamps I and I5 would bemade to grip the members 2 and I4 the same as the jaws of the clamps I 9grip the grooved conductor I as shown in Figs. 3 and 4..

In Fig. 5 I show a modified cross section of the clamp I5 arranged togrip the members 2 and I4 when they are made of grooved material. Whenthe members 2 and I4 are of grooved material, and also the trolley wireI,-then.it will be evident that there can be very little lateral swayingor movement of the parts as they are quite intimately locked togetherand the clamp I0 is held rigid against lateral movement as it in turn isrigidly secured to the stud 8 which is immovable relative to thestructure 3.

If the members I 5 are constructed as shown in Fig. 5 and if. the lowerjaws of the clamping members II and I2 are made corresponding to thelower jaws of the clamp shown in Fig. 5, so as to grip the conductor inlike manner, then the conductor 2 can serve as the trolley wire I, thatis, the trolley wire would then be supported directly by the clamps I0and I5 in place of through the medium of the conductor 2 and clamps I9.In this case, it will be evident that the trolley wire would be free tomove longitudinally with respect to the structure 3.

The lower end of clamp members II and I2 engage the wire loosely and aidin supporting the wire I or 2, thus relieving the bar I4 from supportingthe entire load of the wire. The lower part of hanger 4 may beeliminated if desired.

If the trolley wire I is supported directly by the clamps Ill and I5,the wire is preferably of grooved construction and the clampscorrespond.

The structure 3 may be of other form if desired in place of a continuoussupport as shown.

The clamps I9 electrically connect the wires I and 2, thus the wire 2acts as a feeder for the wire I. The longitudinal movement of the clampsI5 may be made whatever desired by proper location of the clamps on thewire 2 with reference to the clamp I0, thus limiting the movement of thewire 2 relative to the hanger.

The member I4 may be of steel or hard drawn copper.

Modifications of my invention as disclosed will suggest themselves tothose skilled in the art, but I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:-

1. A trolley Wire system comprising a supporting structure, a hangerprovided with a plurality of relatively movable wire holders supportedby the structure, an auxiliary wire supported by the hanger at aplurality of spaced points and free to move longitudinally relative tothe supporting structure and a trolley wire supported by the auxiliarywire to move with the auxiliary wire relative to the supportingstructure.

2. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolleywire suspended below the structure, an auxiliarywire suspended below thestructure and supporting the trolley wire and a hanger having aplurality of longitudinally spaced and movable wire holders interposedbetween the supporting structure and the auxiliary wire and secured tothe structure and to the auxiliary wire and permitting longitudinalmovement of the wires relative to the structure.

3. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolleywire, an auxiliary wire, means suspending the trolley wire from theauxiliary wire and both wires suspended below the structure, a hangersupporting the wires from the structure, the hanger comprising fixedmeans secured to the structure and. means loosely gripping the auxiliarywire to support the same and permit the wires to move freely relative tothe supportin structure in a longitudinal direction.

4. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolleywire, an auxiliary wire, means supporting the trolley wire from theauxiliary wire and both wires suspended below the structure and a hangersupporting the wires from the structure, the hanger comprising a meanssecured to the structure and loosely gripping the auxiliary wire topermit relative movement and clamping means tightly gripping theauxiliary wire and movable relative to the securing means to permit thewires to move freely relative to the supporting structure in alongitudinal direction and means to support the clamping means from thesecuring means.

5. An overhead trolley system. comprising supporting means, spacedhangers secured to the supporting means, a conductor supported by thehangers and arranged to move freely in a longitudinal direction relativeto the supporting means, the hangers having a fixed part secured to thesupporting means and a second fixed part loosely supporting theconductor and movable parts se-' both sides of the suspension means inthe direction of the conductor and clamping means loosely mounted on'eachextension. of the bar and ar-- ranged to tightly grip the conductorto permit the conductor to move freely in the directions the bar extendsand relative to the suspension means.

7. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means tosecure the suspension means to a support and having spaced holding meansto receive a conductor in one of said spaced means and an elongated rodmounted in another of said spaced means, and projecting in oppositedirections from the suspension means, other means mounted on each rodprojection and provided with means to receive the conductor, theconductor movable longitudinally relative to the rod.

8. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means tosecure the suspension means to a support and having spaced means toreceive a conductor in one of said spaced means and an elongated rodmounted in another of said spaced means, and projecting in oppositedirections from the suspension means, other means slidably mounted oneach rod projection and provided with means to receive the conductor.

9. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means tosecure the suspension means to a support and having means to receive andsecurely grip a rod, an elongated rod secured in said last means andprojecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and meansmounted on each rod projection adjacent the ends thereof and havingmeans to receive and grip a conductor.

10. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means tosecure the suspension means to a support and having means to receive andsupport a. rod, an elongated rod mounted in said last means andprojecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and meansslidably mounted on each rod projection and having means to receive andgrip a conductor.

11. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided withmeans to secure the suspension means to a support, means associated withand projecting a limited distance in opposite directions from thesuspension means and means mounted on each projecting means adjacent theends thereof and adjacent the suspension means and having means toreceive and support a conductor.

12. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided withmeans to secure the suspension means to a support, fixed means oflimited length associated with and projecting in opposite directionsfrom the suspension means and means mounted on each projectingmeans atthe ends thereof and having means to receive and support a conductor,and means on the suspension means to receive and support the conductor.

13. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided withmeans to secure the suspension means to a support, means associated withand projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means andmeans mounted on each projecting means and having means to grip andsupport a conductor in longitudinally movable relation to the suspensionmeans.

14. A trolley wire hanger comprising a suspension member provided withmeans to secure the suspension member to a support, a second memberassociated with the suspension member and each member having registeringgrooves to form spaced channels, a rod-like member of limited lengthsupported in one channel and projecting in opposite directions from thesuspension member and a continuous conductor supported in the othergroove and means to draw the grooved members together, spaced supportingmeans slidably mounted on the rod-like means and each comprising a pairof members and means to hold the members together and having grooves,one groove to receive the rodlike member and another groove to receiveand grip the conductor.

15. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided withmeans to secure the suspension means to a. support, means associatedwith and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means andnon-rotatable relative to the suspension means, means non-rotatablymounted on each projecting means and having means to grip and support aconductor in longitudinally movable relation to the suspension means.

16. An overhead trolley system comprising overhead supporting means, aplurality of rigid hangers secured to the supporting means and eachhanger having means fixedly secured to the supporting means to engagewith and loosely support a conductor, a conductor supported by thehangers and arranged to slide freely in a longitudinal directionrelative to the hangers and supporting means, a trolley wire suspendedbelow the conductor and a plurality of clamping means distributed alongthe system and suspending the trolley wire from the conductor, thetrolley wire arranged to move longitudinally with the conductor.

LELAND W. BIRCH.

